Each carving knive made by Flexcut Tool Company, Inc. in Erie, PA is constructed with an ash handle and high carbon steel blade. The KN12 shown has a durable rounded point making it general purpose. The molded sheaths have a blade stop at bottom to keep the point from cutting through. Sold separately as they say.

Bob and the Trees: A day in the life of Bob, a fifty year-old logger with a soft spot for golf and hardcore rap, who struggles to make ends meet in a threatened industry. 28 mins. Produced and directed by Diego Ongaro.

If you missed the Shorts1 programme last night you can see it in the Shorts2 programme on Monday, Somerville theater. Trailer below does not give away much but I'm interested...

What are your aspirations for this film?With this film, I blurred the line between documentary and fiction. So I’d like this film to linger with people, so you slide on each side without knowing on which side you really are. I rarely create films with an agenda, and this film isn’t an exception to that rule. If anything, I hope people learn a little something about the logging industry, and about how hard loggers work.

How difficult was it to stay under budget for this film? What is your favorite guerrilla filmmaking tactic?I had three days to shoot the whole thing, and we managed to shoot within that timeframe. The filming was definitely the biggest part of the budget, so I had a rough idea of the amount I would spend. The editing and sound editing was done in France, with friends of mine who agreed to work with me for a few peanuts. That’s my favorite guerrilla filmmaking tactic- working with friends.-via ArtNewEngland

Named for the "round house" railroad repair station, ROUND HOUSE® brand overalls quickly became a favorite among rail workers, becoming known for their ruggedness and affordability.

Over 100 years later, Round House Mfg. is the oldest operating manufacturing company in Oklahoma, and still builds ROUND HOUSE® workwear according to the "Fit Best, Wear Longest" standard.-via Round House

You may know Round House already but I believe they have updated their site a bit; worth a second look. Forgot to mention, their stuff is super reasonable, all $30-$40 range.

The hook for me is the double kneed brown duck work pants, on the site referred to as a replacement for "Carhartt's discontinued work pants", (UB01's, that is made in USA B01's). Took some digging on japanese sites to get an actual picture of the Round House double fronts, as below. Very interested to see these live -but that means ordering online as can't find anywhere in Boston or near that has them. Anyone??

Thursday, April 28

This film, BUCK, was created to move people to make changes in how they deal with horses and life's challenges. Buck Brannaman is a true cowboy who has overcome tremendous personal odds. This film intends to inspire, motivate and teach through principles of respect, partnership and trust rather than anger, fear and intimidation.-via BuckTheFilm

You can see this at the Boston Independent Film Festival Boston this Sunday (at the Somerville Theater). This man, Buck, was the true life inspiration for the novel The Horse Whisperer.

Have said it before on 10e, I became allergic to horses at age 15 after having been an enthusiatic rider as a young boy, so sort of lost contact with that world, though Pops had horses for years including Pete, a drafthorse that we took over from the local postman. Pete was tough to shoe, and the old farrier sweated and swore and battled with Pete everytime -I was on halter holding patrol and would wheeze though the battles too. Look forward to this film.

The Prime Minister in the UK has decreed that we should all have the day off in celebration of the Royal nuptials. For this we thank Wills and Kate. Monday is May Day, a national holiday as well; cue 4 day bender.

Another unsung outerwear company in use by rescue team, forestry services and military types in Europe (especially Scotland -thx Louise) is Keela. They have a USA site now too, here.

Keela International started as a taped seam operation, then utilised a homebrewed System Dual Protection® (outerlayer, gap, membrane, inner layer) and created their own garments. They use Ventile on other pieces. Not a lot of bells and whistles but the wired peaks are nice. $60 - $200 range.

So, where are Keela jackets made?

Keela jackets are made in our Scotland home facility in Glenrothes, Scotland, as well as in our sister facility in Sri Lanka, run by the company founders’ extended family. Look for the label inside your jacket to see where it came from. Many of our limited run Ventile jackets are made in Scotland.-via KeelaUSA

Not sure how I never found something like this before... but right in my wheelhouse. From Steve & Co., 100% silk knit bow tie. The width is 6cm (made in Italy.... hence metric), with an adjustable length. 35 euro (about $50). [Update: these are pre-tied. Bit of a hame -ed.]

Monday, April 25

Is urban woodsman the new snowboard? (in advertising I mean). Silly enough (and one of the first mainstream attempts I've seen) so gets a pass. But poe-faced beards get old fast. That was almost poetic...

The vintage-y clothes are anchored by organizer Guiseppe of AnAffordableWardobe. New this time is JA Outfitters; that is the brain behind Eggs&Wool with another pal so expect camping goods, (pedal)bike stuff, maybe some cool axes and corn cob pipes... Dilboy VFW has a great 60's interior and sidenote, a good no-frills bar in back. #millertime #recommend #seeyouthere

Dangers -all can be avoidedPrecipices Slopes of ice or steep snow Very steep grass slopes, especially if frozen or wet Unstable boulders • Gullies, gorges and stream beds Streams in spate • Snow cornices on ridges or gully tops Exceeding your experience and abilities Loss of concentration, especially toward the end of a long day

Dangers –require constant monitoringWeather changes – these can be sudden and more extreme than forecast Ice on path (carry an ice-axe and crampons - and know how to use them) Excessive cold or heat (dress appropriately) Incipient exhaustion (know the signs; rest and keep warm) Accident/illness (don't panic - if you send for help, make sure you stay put and the rescuers know exactly where to come) Passage of Time - especially true when under pressure - allow extra time in winter conditions

PrideIt is no disgrace to turn back if not certain. A party must be governed by the abilities of the weakest member.

The Buffalo range of British made, outdoor performance clothing and sleeping bags are designed for use in a variety of activities and conditions, including winter weather.

This is a brand of outwear used by various mountain services and outdoorsy types in the UK that I had never heard of; a Scottish lumberjill enlightened me. For once the ladies' options trump the men's I think. The range is def' lo-frill, and less expensive than most other options. And they love their pullovers...

Buffalo goods rely on their own Pertex/Pile system. Pertex® is a densely woven fabric with high capillary action, and when combined with pile linings, a garment is produced which is windproof, warm, lightweight and resists rain. Further reading.

Thursday, April 21

A nice lady from the Forestry Commission gave me the 411 on a few British brands that are used in the field by mountain rescue and other outdoor services in Scotland. Some suitable for common usage, some heavy duty and expensive.

Páramo Directional Clothing Systems was set up by the founder and owner of Nikwax, Nick Brown. The company's manufacturing processes are based around ethical partnerships with groups in Columbia and recently Vietnam and Thailand. Further reading. A slew of tech and fabrics are involved but basically it all comes down to water/windproofing via NikWax and wicking. Colors and shapes are no nonsense. Full line here.

Broughton. Was a real gift to grow up around here as a teenager and ramble around the hills, forests, w/ clipped hedges to get lost in, and vegetable gardens to learn with... The bottom floor was an art gallery (currently under flood-restoration) and has 20 foot ceilings and 6 foot fireplaces.

Moffat. Like something out of Peter Pan. Our friends are a youngish family with lots of boys, treehouses with pirate flags, walls that are really doors, stars in the kids' ceilings and lights in the floor to light the way at night... Love the inbuilt slide.

Leith. Blog reflex, started taking shots of Land Rover Expeditions parked around... after about the 8th one just gave up. Got silly. Winches, snorkels, dormobile tops, kicksteps galore. The stonework everywhere on the trip was just so great... you forget.

2011 marks the 40th anniversary of the ballet film: Tales Of Beatrix Potter, written and choreographed by founding choreographer of the Royal Ballet, Sir Frederick Ashton, and directed by Reginald Mills.

Completely forgot about this till our UK visit last week -the kids were dancing all over the room. EVEN the boys liked Mr. Jeremy Fisher getting rained on, going fishing and then swallowed up... Watch that one here. Huge recommend. #mackintosh